


Challenging Fate

by LilacMist



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening, Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, anyway have fun, but i'm adding tons of stuff so i think people may enjoy it as a standalone??? idk, it's an undertale au guys, prepare for lots of robin ANGST, you wanted a happy chrobin family??? HA NO
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2017-10-17
Packaged: 2018-11-17 05:53:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11269275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilacMist/pseuds/LilacMist
Summary: In a world sealed off by the Grimleal of the past, Morgan makes eccentric friends and journeys to the end of the world to face off against the Exalt, Chrom, in order to return to her home world. Robin's past life is a mystery, but little by little, pieces begin to line up, and the burdens she has been carrying can finally be lifted. Grima is ever-present, and it will take everyone's strength to stop it before it destroys the Underground and everyone in it. (Yeah, it's an Undertale AU.)





	1. Fell Child / Shepherds

Name the Fell Child:  
M O R G A N

*********************************************

“Chrom, we have to do something!”

“Well, what do you propose we do?”

“I don’t know—“ Lissa stopped and turned to the woman on the ground. She and her brother had stumbled upon a fallen traveler during their patrol of the area, and to be honest, Lissa had thought she was dead. She was proven otherwise when the woman opened her eyes and blinked up at the two of them, eyes darting from one face to the other, but not registering either.

Chrom smiled and spoke first. “I see you’re awake now.”

“Hey there...” Lissa added awkwardly.

The woman tried to sit up, but it was evident by the bloodstains on her Plegian cloak that she had been injured, and she fell onto her back.

Chrom, always ready to lighten the situation, joked, “There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know. Give me your hand.” If it wasn’t already clear by her attire, the symbol on her hand sealed the deal. She was Grimleal—a fact Frederick made clear from the moment they neared her.

“Milord, we cannot compromise our own safety by bringing in this Fellblood,” he stated, pulling Lissa back.

Not paying any attention to his right-hand man, Chrom asked the woman, “Are you all right?” She nodded, pulling her cloak tighter around her stomach and wincing.

“Thank you for your help, but I must be on my way...there is somewhere I need to be...though I have no idea where...” she spoke for the first time.

Chrom turned to Frederick. “She has amnesia!”

“That’s a whole load of pegasus dung,” he scoffed, glaring at the injured Plegian. “What is your name, Fellblood?”

The woman twisted her face, trying desperately to remember anything. “I think...Robin...It’s Robin...” she mumbled, eyes searching for anything else about who she was and where she was going.

“She seems cured to me,” Frederick said, returning to his horse’s side and beckoning for Chrom and Lissa to join him.

“We can’t just leave her here! Let me heal her!” Lissa finally spoke up, running over to Robin and waving her staff over her side.

Frederick scowled and climbed atop his steed. “Pardon my criticism, but uou both are too trusting! What if she’s a spy? What if she intends to report our location to the Grimleal? What will you do if the Fellblood overthrow this halidom?”

“Robin is a person, just like us,” Chrom spoke slowly. “If I fell in battle past the Plegian borders, wouldn’t you rather one of them save me?” Frederick remained silent. “Robin, please come with us until your memory returns. We will do everything we can to keep you safe until then.” His voice was warm and welcoming, stirring something in Robin’s heart. She couldn’t tell if this was familiarity, or if it was something completely new. Whatever the case, she decided that she would accept this man’s offer. Chrom, Lissa, and a disgruntled Frederick set off with Robin in tow.

*********************************************

Morgan woke up on a bed of flowers. Above her was a speck of light, reminding her of her tumble into a seemingly bottomless pit. She had no idea how she had survived. Even more bizarre were the circumstances leading up to her fall. She had been spending time with her parents and friends, when suddenly, a voice called out to her, beckoning her to follow. She didn’t know why, but she obeyed the voice. Led atop a mountain of myths, Morgan found herself face-to-face with the stuff of legends—a portal to the Undergound, where the followers of Naga were eternally trapped by the Grimleal. Neither kingdom existed anymore, and most people hadn’t bought into the truthfulness of those fantastical stories of old. Morgan’s current state proved them all wrong.

She slowly stood up, seeing darkness in all directions except one. She stepped through an ornate door, and walked into another flower patch.

“M-morgan?” a small voice called, and she turned to see a daisy perking its head up. When she looked closer, she saw that the flower had eyes and a face.

“Um...that is...I think I mistook you for someone else...” it mumbled, turning its head away. “You’re new to the Underground. I can tell.”

Morgan nodded her head and inched closer. She could see that one of the daisy’s eyes had a curious symbol inside it, but before she could figure out what it meant, it vanished, replaced by a pitch-black spot.

Vines shot out of the flower, growing thorns and piercing Morgan’s flesh. “ALL WHO OPPOSE ME WILL DIE!” it yelled, voice distorted by the dark aura surrounding it. It prepared to strike again, but a blast of fire knocked the flower down, expelling the evil energy. It ducked back into the ground as the source of the flame walked up to the child, reaching down and pulling out the thorns one by one.

“That flower has tormented every child that came this way...” she breathed, rolling up Morgan’s sleeve and sticking a bandage on her arm. “My name is Robin, and I watch over the ruins. You are the first human to fall down here in a long time.” She looked into Morgan’s eyes for a second or two, then turned away abruptly, choking back tears. “Follow me...” Robin sputtered, stepping over the flowerbed and through another gate. Morgan reached down and touched the soft soil. Though it had just tried to harm her, she wanted to see that daisy again. She decided that it would show itself when the time was right and followed Robin into the catacombs.

*********************************************

“This is Robin!” Chrom proudly presented his new recruit to his group of Shepherds. Robin had agreed to serve alongside him as a tactician in their skirmishes against the Grimleal, a fact that Frederick had contested to the bitter end.

“Think of your safety! Think of everyone’s safety!” he tried to sway Chrom, but the prince remained unmoved.

“Robin only remembers her name and that she was fleeing from the Grimleal. That’s enough convincing for me.”

The shepherds welcomed Robin as one of their own, and after only a week, she felt like part of the family. She cooked food, ate meals, and listened to their lively stories.

“Ah come on, Maribelle! Stay up with us!” Sully laughed, patting the noble’s growing tummy.

Maribelle frowned and pushed her away rather forcefully. “I’ll have you know that carrying a child is exhausting,” she spat, turning to her dear friend Lissa for backup.

Lissa sighed and nodded. “She’s right, Sully. We’re heading out again tomorrow, and if she’s going to do any healing at all, she needs her beauty rest.”

“Damn,” Sully sighed. “Welp, at least we’ve got Robin now, right?” She had taken a liking to the new tactician, since she had a habit of fighting mercilessly when she was on the battlefield, something that Frederick insisted was drilled into the head of every Fellblood soldier.

“I’m probably not as fun as Maribelle,” Robin admitted, scratching the back of her neck. “I still don’t remember anything from before Chrom found me in that field.”

“You could always tell the story about how Chrom called you a man,” Gaius suggested, popping a sugar cube into his mouth.

“Unladylike,” Robin corrected, shaking her head.

“Ooh, what about when you tried to train with Lon’qu, and you had to throw figs at him!” Sumia added. The man in question bit his lip and turned away.

“I wish I could tell stories about before I met you...” she said sadly. “I have the feeling that so many good things happened, but all I can remember is a voice telling me to not worry and keep running away...”

“We’ll all be right here beside you,” Cordelia said, sitting down next to Robin and giving her a reassuring hug. “We shall craft new memories, ones that will surpass anything you could have experienced before.”

Miriel adjusted her glasses. “It will be hard to make that comparison when Robin’s memories are at large, but I can assure you that I will continue to do everything I can to aid in ending the conflict with the Grimleal.”

“Yeah! Those Fellbloods are going down!” Vaike added, slamming his mug down on the table, and everyone cheered.

The night was filled with laughter and smiles, the last they would have before directly confronting Grimleal forces. Some of them would never smile again after that fight, and others would be so consumed in rage that they would never be the same. Thus began the ancient war of legend between followers of Naga and followers of Grima. Both would lose something dear to them. One a homeland, and the other, everything they had worked for. Only after hundreds of years had passed would these wounds finally be healed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm writing both sections (past and present) concurrently, because IDK actually. It's easier for me to flipflop between them, I guess. If that's confusing, I can try to keep them in separate chapters from here on out. The Undertale part of the story is going to be more lighthearted and funny, and the past will be some good ol' angst. People will die. Yay. There's no happy ending for Chrobin because oops, it's Undertale. I warned you.


	2. Ghost Fight / Renewal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morgan meets a ghost, and Robin remembers that tons of people are dead

Morgan followed Robin through the dark passageways in the Ruins. The older woman stayed completely silent, not even saying hello to the small creatures trying to get her attention. Morgan reached out and pulled on Robin’s sleeve, and she turned around, meeting Morgan’s gaze. “What is it, my child?” she croaked, old withered eyes filling with tears. The creases on her face were filled with concern for her, but Morgan could tell that she was consumed with worry as well. She told Robin that she was fine and that she wanted to thank her for saving her back there. Robin’s expression softened and she shook her head. “Protecting children like you is what I’m here for, silly,” she said, pinching Morgan’s cheek before taking her hand and picking up her pace slightly. “You can stay with me at my home. There’s plenty of food, a warm fire, and everyone is safe.”

With her other hand, Morgan traced the decaying walls of the Ruins. Legend says that this place had been sealed for hundreds of years, but that time flowed differently here. Morgan looked back at Robin and decided that she looked about fifty or so, but it was quite possible that she had been around since the forces of Naga were banished underground. “Everyone is safe...” Robin mumbled again, letting go of Morgan’s hand and holding her head. “No...no one is safe...” Morgan grabbed the old woman’s other hand, but it was no use. Memories she tried to forget were flooding into her mind. “My children...” Every single one of the six other children that fell were forever lost to the Underground. Robin could practically still hear their voices. The first one especially was so full of life...why did it have to be extinguished?

Robin let go of Morgan’s other hand and mumbled something about leaving her alone for a while, and that she’ll be back soon, before she scurried off into the darkness. Morgan looked over to her right and saw a small, black hair ribbon laying on the dusty ground. She picked it up and cradled it in her hands. A voice, a different one than before, called out to her. “You can trust Robin. She’s a really nice lady! She makes amazing food, and she tells funny jokes! They’re kind of scary, but...”

Morgan looked everywhere, trying to figure out where the voice came from, and after finding nothing, she decided that it was the ribbon. Could it have been left by someone? The dark colors reminded her of her father’s homeland. “Put it on!” the voice told her. “It has healing properties! I can help guide you, too! I know this maze like the back of my hand, hehe!” the voice giggled, prodding Morgan to press on and look for Robin.

Said woman had made it back home in one piece, but her mind was in shambles. As if the children weren’t enough, the war was now fresh in her brain. She heard her friends’ desperate screams as comrades fell in battle, reminding her that no matter what she did, no one was ever safe.

*********************************************

“Maribelle!” Lissa yelped, leaping up onto Stahl’s horse and begging him to ride her to the other side of the battlefield where her friend lay on the ground, gasping for air. “You’re going to be okay, Maribelle! I promise!” she said, more as a reassurance to herself than to anyone else. She dove off the horse once they got close enough, and she scrambled across the rocky terrain until she made it to Maribelle’s side.

“Lissa...” Maribelle breathed, reaching up and running her hand across her best friend’s cheek. “I’m sorry...I couldn’t protect everyone...I couldn’t protect...my own child...”

“Stay with me, Maribelle!” Lissa cried, futilely waving her staff over the arrow protruding from her chest.

“It’s fine, Lissa...” Maribelle coughed, taking one last, shaky breath.

Lissa shook her head vigorously. “No! You can’t die on me!”

“Tell my husband...I... _we_...love him...” Maribelle stopped moving, and her eyes went dark.

Lissa wanted to scream, but all she could do was choke out sobs. The other Shepherds moved closer, trying to keep the enemy away from the two, but it was proving difficult. Robin had stopped giving orders when she caught sight of the enemy archer holding a Longbow, and she fell to her knees. “I didn’t account for the range of the archers...” she squeaked, realization setting in that her one mistake cost them two precious lives.

“Robin!” Chrom called out, cutting one more gash into the enemy before running over to his tactician. “Robin, we need you! Don’t give up!” He knelt down beside her and gently patted her back.

She looked up at him over her shoulder, tears streaming down her face. “I...I killed Maribelle...a-and her baby...” she sobbed, throwing her arms around Chrom and crying into his one sleeve. He realized that no amount of consoling would help Robin in this state, and their army wouldn’t stand a chance without a tactician.

“Everyone! Retreat!” he yelled, looking around at the battered army. When the day began, they thought that fortune was on their side. A young-looking manakete and a sellsword agreed to aid them in their fight against Plegia, but it seemed that their assistance wasn’t enough to save their troubador’s life.

The infantry joined up with the cavalry and fliers, and they all hurried towards a young girl with pink hair, telling them that Feroxi reinforcements were here and ready to clean up the rest of the Grimleal. Frederick had to pull a screaming Lissa away from her friend’s corpse. “War is hell, milady,” he said when she protested leaving the body. “What would your brother say if you died, too?” her sobbing quieted, and she tightened her grip on the horse’s bridle as they rode off the battlefield.

*********************************************

That was so many years ago, and yet even now, Robin couldn’t stop crying. The first child to tumble down into the Underground proudly declared that she was a troubadour as well, and Robin remembered her death just as vividly. Her friends, all devastated by the lives lost during the last great battle, ravaged the poor girl, but she died with a smile on her face. “The legend says it takes seven Fell souls to break the barrier, right? The worst that can happen is I’m the first!” No matter what Robin did, no matter how many precautions she took, she couldn’t save the lives of those she was trying to protect. She was terrified that Morgan would be the next in a series of murders, and that as always, she would be powerless to save her. She wiped her eyes on her white robes, those that the Exalt wore. She didn’t know why she didn’t destroy them—she was no Exalt anymore. Slowly, Robin stood up and shuffled over to the kitchen. The least she could do was make something to surprise Morgan.

Meanwhile, Morgan was making friends of her own. Talking frogs, spiders, and butterflies swirled around her, and she was having fun learning about them. These silly monsters must have lived in the Underground before the people of Naga were sealed away. She thought she had gotten used to the sight of these new creatures, but was taken aback when she tripped over a stuffed training dummy and landed face-first in front of a glowing spirit. “Oh, I didn’t mean to startle you! I’ll just be on my way...” she murmured, floating upwards and turning away. Morgan shook her head and ran towards her, phasing through her body. “I’m incorporeal...because I’m dead.” She said this bluntly, but Morgan could see in her eyes that there was more to her story than she was letting on. She sat down, patting the space beside her, and the spirit girl reluctantly sat down. “I’m sorry...I shouldn’t be dumping my problems on a person like you, not when we’re so much alike.” Morgan tilted her head, and the girl continued. “I’m Grimleal, too, or at least mostly. I died when I was an infant. I had a lot of health issues, and my mother couldn’t save me. I guess my spirit was too scared to move on to the next world, so I’ve been stuck here in the Underground ever since. I wonder how many years I’ve been here...”

Morgan asked what the girl’s name was, and she reluctantly told her—Noire. “You know...you remind me of another child who used to live here,” she said quietly. “He...he knew my mother, and we were very close.” Morgan said that she wanted to become close with Noire, too. “Now you’re just saying that,” Noire accused, floating upward. “But...it makes me feel happy nonetheless. I haven’t been happy in...a long time...” she admitted. “Are you going to stay here in the Ruins? For how long?” Morgan shrugged. She didn’t have much of a plan, except to follow the voice that told her to come here. “You’ve given me the strength to head back home! I’m going to visit with some of my friends! If I don’t see you in a couple days, I’ll come back here, okay?” Morgan smiled and nodded. Noire smiled back, then turned and phased through the floor.

“Look at you!” Morgan’s ribbon giggled. “You’re making friends already! Robin will be so happy! The talking to dead people thing is a little weird, but who am I to talk, right?” Morgan nodded and ran forward, following the bow’s directions until she reached a tiny house in the back of the Ruins. Robin walked out right as she arrived.

“Child? I said I’d be back soon,” she sighed, rubbing the remnants of tears from her cheeks. “I’m glad you made it here safely. I made something for you! You should come inside,” she said gently, leading Morgan into her tidy abode. “Hot cocoa! Your favorite!” Morgan cocked her head to the side, giving Robin a confused look, and Robin’s hands began to shake. “I-I’m so sorry, my child! I can’t believe I...Do you like hot cocoa?” Morgan nodded and took the cup out of Robin’s hands, sipping it politely. Robin sat down again, holding her head in her hands. “Child, what is your name?” Morgan told her, and sad laughter filled the room. “Morgan...of course it is...I used to believe that I wasn’t the pawn of some scripted fate, but now I’m not so sure...” She said that she needed a little more time to herself, and Morgan granted that of her. It seemed like she was having a long day as it was. She would tell Robin about the interaction with Noire later. Setting down the empty cup, Morgan walked into the hallway, pulled open the first door on the left, and curled up in the bed nestled in the corner of the room. After spending the day walking through the Ruins, she was exhausted, and she needed some rest. That night, she would have the first of many dreams, this one centered around the mysterious voice.

*********************************************

“Kill her,” it said, drawing Morgan’s attention to a defenseless Robin. “Think of the power you will attain from her death! Can’t you feel it?” Morgan shivered, but nodded. She recognized the tome Robin was holding as the legendary Valflame, lost forever to history. “It would be so easy for you to strike when her guard is down. You’re magically gifted—summon some fire from the tome and take it for yourself. Press on and destroy the lot of worthless Ylisseans. Heed my call, Morgan...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I WONDER WHO THAT CREEPY VOICE IS HRMMMMM
> 
> casualty count:  
> 1st gen: 1  
> 2nd gen: 2  
> fates cast: 1  
> man we are on a roll


	3. Home / Exalt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Libra is a good character, and I love him  
> in other news, i killed corrin

The remaining Shepherds, plus their new recruits, were quieter that evening. Neither Lissa nor Maribelle’s husband ate dinner with the group, and it took Chrom a solid hour to convince Robin to join them. “No one expects you to be perfect all the time,” he tried to soothe her. “We know that you are doing all you can to help us, and we trust you.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t...” Robin whispered, burying her head in her knees. “Frederick was right...I’m just some lowly Fellblood. I’m going to do more harm than good.”

“That’s not true,” Chrom interjected. “You’ve already helped our army win plenty of battles! You just had an off day.”

Robin shook her head. “What if my off day turns into an off week? Off month? I’ll kill everyone. I should leave.”

“You can’t! Not now!” Chrom pleaded. “We need you, Robin! I need you! You’re our dear friend, and everyone needs your support now more than ever!” He lifted her chin up so that she was looking into his eyes. “I need your support now more than ever,” he finished. She swallowed and nodded, wiping her nose on her sleeve. He helped her up and led her to their makeshift mess hall. Olivia, who did not know many Shepherds yet, had volunteered to cook for them that evening, but no one was very hungry.

“Damn...I keep waiting for her to tell me to eat like a lady...” Sully said under her breath, picking up her soup bowl and forcing herself to swallow it down.

“Talking about her won’t bring her back,” Cordelia added quietly. She had already lost her entire squadron on the way to aid the Shepherds, and the last thing she wanted to think about was more death.

“It’s better if we focus on the battles ahead,” Panne said, nodding towards the tactician. She was always so level-headed amidst all the commotion that went on. “If we want to stop them from taking any more lives, we need to be prepared to defeat their commander. They should scatter like frightened mice afterwards.”

*********************************************

Morgan woke up in a cold sweat, swatting the air in front of her to make sure she was back to reality. Maybe following that voice down here wasn’t the best idea after all. After that dream, she wasn’t sure she could trust it. At least she still had the talking ribbon to keep her company, along with her new monster friends. She meandered out of the hallway and into the living room. Robin was sitting in her armchair, flipping through an old tome. Her eyes were still puffy from crying, but she was talking much more smoothly now. “Good morning, sleepyhead! Did you sleep alright?” Morgan nodded and sat down on the rug in front of Robin’s chair. “Is there anything I can get for you? Are you hungry?” Morgan shook her head again, then asked about the creatures that lived around the Ruins. “They keep me company down here! The rest of the people down here live in the lands beyond, but I wouldn’t be able to keep watch over the Ruins if I was with them, would I?” Morgan had a feeling that she wasn’t actually asking her, so she changed the subject to the ghost girl she talked to.

Robin went pale at the mention of the girl’s name. “You’re saying...Noire is here? And you spoke with her?” she asked softly, trying to keep her composure. “Tharja...” she breathed, looking up to the ceiling. “Could you be here, too?”

*********************************************

“Is Exalt Chrom here?”

Everyone turned their heads to the entrance of the tent, meeting the eyes of a blond priest. Chrom stood up and walked over. “I am he. What do you need?”

The priest closed his eyes and grimaced. “The Plegians are working their way north. They have been taking advantage of the lesser-guarded monasteries to the south and are using them as forts. I am the only one that survived.”

“We just fought with forces to the west! Are you saying there are even more armies?” Frederick asked, standing up as well.

“I’m afraid so. I doubt this camp will be safe for long,” the priest said, urging everyone to pack up their things and head northeast. “Valm may be our only chance at regrouping.”

The Shepherds broke down camp as quickly as they could and took off as fast as their mounts’ legs could carry them. Once they had determined that they had put enough ground between them and the enemy, they set up a new camp. Everyone was even more exhausted then before, and many opted to sleep under the stars instead of setting up tents. “It’s too much damn work,” Sully reasoned, ripping off her armor and flopping down on the grass.

In the commotion, Robin hadn’t gotten a good look at the priest’s face, but now that they had stopped, she realized that she recognized him. “Libra?” she asked quietly, tapping his shoulder to get his attention.

“Yes?” he asked, turning around and studying her face for a minute, eyes lighting up in realization. “Robin? Is that you? What brings you out here?”

“I...don’t know...” she trailed off, explaining that she woke up in a field remembering nothing about her past.

“I see...” he murmured, sighing and looking off to the side. “Then I suppose you wouldn’t know how Tharja is doing.”

Robin’s eyes widened, and she took a couple steps back as the name bounced around in her brain. Tharja was her best friend! She had been hiding her from the Grimleal priests! “Tharja stayed behind to buy me time to escape, I think,” Robin said quietly, scanning the ground in hopes of finding anything to jog her memory further. “I can’t remember why I was in hiding...”

“She never disclosed much information about you, only that you were the most important person in her life,” Libra said sadly. “I had hoped I could steal that spot from you, but it seems even in our marriage she held you in high esteem. You must be a wonderful person, Robin.”

That was right! A Ylissean priest had stumbled upon their hideout one night, and Tharja said she was going to take care of him. Robin thought it meant she would kill him, but it seems she took a liking to him instead. Now she remembered! “Tharja loved you deeply,” she said, recalling the time she spent mixing potions and rambling about using darkness to bring out the best in people. She said that she hoped when the war was over, she would be able to settle down with him and raise their daughter. Oh gods. Their daughter. “She...she loved your daughter deeply as well...” Robin whispered, trying to resist the urge to cry. “Noire was born with anemia, and Tharja did everything she could to save her life, even after her death...” She expected Libra to at least cry, but he did not.

“Thank you for telling me, Robin,” he said, meeting her gaze. “This is yet another reason for me to be joining this bitter war. It prevented me from meeting my own child and comforting my wife in a time of grief. I will do all that I can to help you and Exalt Chrom.”

Revisiting her friend’s trauma did nothing to help Robin’s mental state, and she spent the last hours of the night awake, staring at the stars with Lissa. “None of these stars are bright enough to be Maribelle...” she whispered, reaching out and gripping Robin’s hand. Robin squeezed back.

“We’re going to win this war,” Robin promised. “So none of this ever happens again.”

*********************************************

The ghost that Morgan saw was the dead daughter of her best friend. She wondered if Tharja and Maribelle were with them, too. What hurt the most was that she hadn’t known about Noire. Could the dead only be seen by the dead? No, that couldn’t be the case. Morgan was clearly not dead. These musings were put on hold when Morgan explained that she wanted to go and visit Noire in the deeprealms of the Underground.

“Absolutely not!” Robin said on instinct. “It is dangerous out there. Anyone who steps foot outside of these Ruins are doomed to die.” That included not only the children, but also the followers of Naga who were slain by Fallen seeking revenge for those killed in the Underground.

*********************************************

“They did what to Elise?” the second fallen child yelled, knocking over Robin’s table.

“They killed her, my child,” Robin said calmly. “That is why you must stay here where you are safe.”

The girl shook her head vigorously and stormed down Robin’s stairs. “They will pay for what they did to my family!”

“That will not solve anything!” Robin yelled, picking up her pace and chasing the girl down the hall. When she got to the bottom of the stairs, she froze in her tracks. The girl was on the ground, red light pulsing from her body before it engulfed her completely. The draconic beast that remained seemed to have lost all sense of feeling, and it burst through the Ruins gate. Robin watched in horror as it tore through the defenses at the western outpost. Vaike, Stahl, Sumia, Gregor...Robin saw them all ripped to shreds. The hardest to watch was Lissa, who blocked the dragon’s path to give her son a few extra seconds to escape. He must have been only seven or eight at the time. Finally, Cherche swooped in with a Wyrmslayer, cutting down the dragon and carrying the corpse back to the castle. So many lives lost, and all for what? A revenge plot? Freeing the Underground? What was the point? Robin didn’t know, and she didn’t know why she was so determined to remain alive, either. She couldn’t save anyone. She never could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> casualty count:  
> 1st gen: 5  
> 2nd gen: 2  
> fates cast: 2  
> things are heating up in the death department


	4. Heartache / Valm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> elise is a precious bean and we need to protect her at all costs.  
> chrobin is so good and idk why i thought it was a good idea to make everyone suffer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPECIAL THANKS TO HOSHIDANBUM FOR BETA'ING THIS CHAPTER FOR ME!! We're going through and editing the ones before this as well!! She's got a great fic in the works, so maybe give a subscribe so you can be the first to read it!!

Morgan didn’t know what to do. She liked Robin a great deal, but she was called here for a reason. If it was to save or to kill, she still didn’t know. She just knew that her journey could not end in Robin’s cozy house. That was why late that evening, when Robin was asleep, Morgan crept down the stairs and into the basement. “That’s where I went to get into the deeprealms,” the ribbon explained. “Once you cross through the door, there’s a lot of snow! You probably will want to bundle up!” Morgan side-eyed where the voice was coming from, and it answered, “Oh right, no spare clothes. I forgot, hehe!” Morgan was taking a liking to her personal guide. She gave tips on how to act when talking to monsters, and she was very lively. Unfortunately, even she didn’t know what to do when they saw an exhausted Robin standing in front of the door to the Underground.

“I cannot let you leave, Morgan,” Robin said quietly, looking down at the fallen child. “Your life is too precious to be cut short by Chrom’s hands. He is the reason that fallen children are not welcome here. There are countless adversaries beyond this door, ready to take your life and offer it as a sacrifice to break the seal trapping us.” She clutched her tome tighter to her chest. Morgan recognized it from her dream. She could feel the energy emanating from it. She wasn’t terribly familiar with tomes, since her mother was a diviner, but she did know that they didn’t possess any energy of their own. Their power was drawn from the strength of the mage. Robin was getting ready to attack. Morgan took a wary step back.

“I’m going to seal this passageway,” Robin breathed, barely loud enough for Morgan to hear. “No one will be able to leave again.”

“Morgan! If she does that, you won’t ever be able to leave!” the ribbon yelled. Morgan nodded and lunged forward, squeezing her eyes shut and stretching out her hand. With every fiber of her being, she focused on that tome. She poured her entire soul into it, feeling the energy flow freely between her and the ancient book. Slowly, but surely, she pulled the magic into herself and concentrated it in her own hand. She slowly opened her eyes, looking down at the flames she was holding. They were warm, comfortingly so. 

Robin just watched as Morgan shifted the fire magic between her hands. She looked so similar to her own child learning how to use a tome. She had to do it. She had to keep this child safe, no matter the cost. She opened Valflame, running her fingers across the pages to conjure mystical flames. “I’m sorry, Morgan,” she whispered, blazing fire blasting towards the corridor. In a flurry of motion, Morgan dove forward, landing in front of the exit. Robin froze and watched in horror as the flames engulfed Morgan.

The young girl didn't make a sound as the fire seared her skin. Though the inferno was sweltering, Morgan had never felt a colder embrace. Her skin began to blister, but she didn’t feel the pain. She could only sense Robin’s sealed-off heart, revealing itself through the powerful spell. The flames licked at her body, burning and charring until her arms and legs began to turn white. She pulled her knees up to her chest, huddled in Robin’s regret and helplessness. Morgan's ribbon begin to glow, and a spirit girl flew out of it, holding a massive healing staff in her hand. Robin began to cry again.

"Hey! Morgan! Try to be more careful around fire." Elise said calmly, an unusual emotion for her. She waved the staff over Morgan's body, and her wounds closed up, the majority of the blisters replaced with fresh skin. "Now that I've left the ribbon, I won't be able to travel with you anymore. My spirit is going to move on." Morgan didn't move from her position on the floor, but she made an audible squeak. "I'm going to miss you, too, but I know you're going to do what’s right! Who knows? Maybe my siblings are hanging around, too! Be nice to them, ok?" Elise patted Morgan on the head, before turning to Robin and smiling. "Take care of her for me, alright?" Robin nodded, wiping her running nose on her sleeve. Elise vanished into the air, leaving Morgan huddled in a ball on the floor. Robin picked her up gently and carried her up the stairs. She tended to the remaining burns, wrapping them in bandages afterwards. She replaced Morgan’s charred clothes with the only outfit in her house that would fit the child—a plain tan shirt and some simple pants. Leaving Morgan in bed to rest, Robin returned to her chair in the living room. Perhaps Morgan really needed to press on and enter the deaprealms. There was no worse feeling than being separated from a dear friend.

*********************************************

“Greetings, Ylissians. I am Say’ri, a princess of Chon’sin.” 

The Shepherds regrouped in Valm, where they met some new allies to aid them in their fight against the Plegians. 

“My brother Yen’fey and I will take our armies north. Walhart will fend off Plegia at the eastern border. Your army will only need to worry about defending the southern outpost.”

“Understood,” Chrom said, nodding to the recruits from Rosanne, and beginning their march to the south. Robin lagged towards the back, fumbling with the new buttons Cherche sewed onto her coat. She still didn’t trust herself to guide the army after what happened with Maribelle. Was she really the best tactician Ylisse had ever seen? She didn’t believe it anymore. And what if Frederick had been right this whole time? What if she was sent to destroy Ylisse? She remembered Tharja helping her escape, but who was she escaping from? Her head hurt. Maybe it would be easier if she just ran away again. Chrom was an enigmatic leader. He could easily guide the army without her.

“Robin? What’s bothering you?” Robin turned to see Chrom right next to her. Wasn’t he supposed to be leading the troops? He knew her well enough to read the change in her expression and assured her, “Frederick will do just fine without me. You, on the other hand...”

“I don’t think I can do this,” Robin said plainly.

“What did I tell you about getting down on yourself?” Chrom asked, raising an eyebrow.

She sighed. “I shouldn’t, but that doesn’t mean I won’t.” She tensed when his hand bumped against hers.

“How about until you can trust yourself again, you trust me instead? Is that a good trade?” he asked, making another attempt to grab Robin’s hand. This time, she let him. “I’ll be doing what’s best for my country. If I ask you to strategize, it’s because I believe you will do the same, whether you think you will or not.”

Robin closed her eyes and stopped walking. Chrom stopped beside her. “I...” she mumbled, squeezing his hand tighter. “I want to stop Plegia! I want to help Ylisse! I want to help you!” Robin was shaking now, tears streaming down her face. “I can’t imagine my life without everyone here. I can’t imagine my life without you! That’s why...that’s why I don’t want to risk losing any more lives!” She threw her arms around Chrom’s waist, afraid that if she let go, he would vanish as quickly as Maribelle did. She sobbed into his shirt as he whispered ‘it’s all rights’ and ‘I’m heres.’

He crushed her against his chest, praying that somehow, some way, he could take away her pain. In the few short months they had spent together, she had become his world, his everything. He was terrified that if she refused to forgive herself, she’d disappear. What he held in his arms was more precious to him than life itself. He’d sooner choose death than a world without her. “Chrom...” Robin whimpered, pulling her face out of his chest and looking up at him. “What if I lose you, too?”

*********************************************

Robin stared at the fire as Morgan trotted down the steps and into the Deeprealms. She had lost Chrom, but not in the way she had expected. The latest fallen child was going to witness that firsthand. He had been warped by the war just as much as she, but where she became timid and reluctant to act, he grew more volatile and acted solely on his instincts. He would do anything to protect those he held dear, no matter how despicable the action. She laughed sadly, pulling her eyes away from the flames. What had happened to them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no one died this chapter??????? did lilac really write this??????????????

**Author's Note:**

> I'm writing both sections (past and present) concurrently, because IDK actually. It's easier for me to flipflop between them, I guess. If that's confusing, I can try to keep them in separate chapters from here on out. The Undertale part of the story is going to be more lighthearted and funny, and the past will be some good ol' angst. People will die. Yay. There's no happy ending for Chrobin because oops, it's Undertale. I warned you.


End file.
